Sands of Misery
by Oilux
Summary: She was a slave, hand picked by the pharaoh himself. He was known for being cruel, and most of his slaves didn't last more than a year under his care. Could she last long enough to win the tyrants heart? Ancient Egypt AU.
1. Apep

I should really finish what I start writing before I pick up something new...

Shout out to mabelpinesfeatwaddles on tumblr for coming up with the great title.

Apep: The spirit of destruction, darkness, and evil.

Chapter One: Apep

* * *

The bright sun beat down on her skin, and made her sweat. Mabel was used to it, working every day in the fields and her hands gaining more and more callouses as she worked. Her brother was off in other part, carving stones as he was required to do. She wished she could spend her work with her brother, but she understood that things weren't like when they were younger, and she had to do her own things.

She wiped sweat from across her brow, smearing a bit of dirt there from her hands. It was midday, the hottest part of the day, and even though years of work had made her used to it, but the sun still beat down on her. She wished she could go and take a break, but that wasn't allowed.

The crack of the whip sounded before she felt the pain, and Mabel cried out as she felt it hit her back. She hadn't even realized that she had been pausing in her work, but apparently her pause had been long enough.

Her work spilled from her bag, and she struggled with trembling hands to pick up the harvest before another crack of the whip sounded. Her hands were still shaking when one of the guards walked up to her, placing his sandaled foot over the last bit of food she was about to pick up.

"Such a pretty thing." He cooed down, looking at her as she kept her eyes glued to the dirt. "You shouldn't be working out in the field like this, I have a much better place for you."

She swallowed thickly, unable to even think about asking to say goodbye to her brother. It wouldn't be the first time that a slave had been taken from the fields to be a personal slave for a guard, and she wouldn't be the last. He wouldn't listen to her if she begged to be returned home.

"Please, I simply wish to finish my work here." Mabel's voice was barely louder than a whisper as he refused to move. Everyone around them was pretending like they didn't exist, as though ignoring it would make the problem disappear.

"Now, is that any way to talk to the man offering you so much?" He reached down, grabbing her hair and forcing her off of her knees. "Don't worry, I'm going to take great care of you."

She had to use everything in her to not struggle and get away. It wasn't like she would get far, other guards were watching them. Mabel was never going to be able to say goodbye to her brother, or ever see him again. That was the real punishment he was inflicting on her.

"Sir, please, I only wish to finish my work here." Mabel tried again, now on her feet and still managing to stare down at the ground. She whimpered when he sighed, knowing she had pushed him but at the same time knowing she wouldn't have any chance of getting free as long as she didn't try.

"Oh, hush. You'll love not having to work in the mud anymore and being bathed in silks." He moved his hand from had hair, grasping her hands and pulling them together. The guard instantly bound them together, never fearing his eyes from her own.

"All bow before your pharaoh!"

Mabel was thankful for any distraction, even if that distraction came in a chariot. Their pharaoh, Bill Cipher, looked every inch the true descendant of royalty, with his blond hair and eyes the same color of the blue sky.

Though Mabel didn't know this, as she was instantly throw to the ground and on her knees. All she knew was that the chariot was gold, and what the stories told her.

"Don't say a word." The guard hissed, and for a moment she was confused, until she remembered that guards weren't meant to take slaves home without explicit permission of the pharaoh.

She wouldn't have said anything anyways.

Everything was silent as the pharaoh's chariot got closer, and actually stopped by their field. People hardly got word when the pharaoh came out, but it was always to chose a new personal slave. It was the only reason he left his life of luxury in the palace. For some reason he always insisted on hand picking his personal slaves. They never lasted more than a year under his care.

He didn't step down from the chariot, but his guards came forth, grabbing women. Apparently it was a woman's turn to serve him, as he switched from male to female every year. Mabel was completely silent, face almost pressed against the ground by how low she was bowing. She whimpered when she was grabbed, even though she was one of many young women in the lineup examined by the pharaoh.

Mabel kept her gaze lowered as women were dismissed from around her, and she was left with only one other woman to be compared next to. Mabel's gaze was glued to the ground, absolutely refusing to look up and risk death.

"That one." The pharaoh spoke, voice rich like velvet. For a moment, neither woman knew who he was pointing at, but then the guards came up and pushed one woman back, and Mabel was pushed closer to the pharaoh. Her stomach dropped, and she was practically shaking with fright.

Something traveled under her chin and forced her gaze up, and Mabel realized too late that it was the pharaoh himself using a riding crop to make her look up at him. She was nothing but skin and bones, completely covered in dirt, but he didn't seem to care, simply stating at her for a long moment. One guard came and tore her bag from her shoulder, and her hands clutched her stained dress now that she didn't have anything else to hold.

"Yes, you're perfect." He was still staring at her. Mabel wanted to cry, but refused to let her tears fall. "You're not even crying. How splendid."

His hand reached out, and Mabel willed herself not to flinch away as he touched her cheek, as though making sure she was real. She couldn't breathe, and everyone was still staring at them. The pharaoh eventually dropped his hand, and Mabel lowered her gaze back to the ground.

"Bring her to the palace." The pharaoh ordered before his driver snapped the whip and he was gone. She watched him go, feeling a guard take her arm as though afraid she would try to run. Mabel had no intentions of doing such a thing, because she knew she wouldn't get far.

"Come along then." The guard wasn't the same one as before, and he looked down at her with something akin to pity in his face. She guessed it was because her life had just been cut down from how many years she would have lived to just one. Even less than a year if she displeased the pharaoh too much.

Mabel was hoisted onto one of the chariots the guards used, still visibly shaking and wanting to cry when she realized she would never see her brother again. She tried to not let any of that show as they rode off, with the slaves going back to work as though she had never been there in the first place.

* * *

The palace was larger in up close than at the distance she always saw it at. She didn't get much of a chance to look at it before she was ushered inside and taken to a small room near the pharaoh's that she was told would he her own. Mabel disliked it immediately, wishing she was with her brother once more. Maybe she could run away.

She didn't get a chance to plan before a woman was there, bathing her and making sure she was absolutely clean. Mabel was sure she had never been so clean in her life with how her skin was scrubbed raw. As her hair was washed again and again to make it silky smooth, her mind wandered to the pharaoh once more.

"Stupid girl." The woman hissed, pulling back from Mabel and letting her dress in new clothes. They were nicer than anything she had ever seen before, or would have hoped to wear, but they were still slave garb.

Why her? Mabel didn't wish she was chosen. She wanted to be under the hot sun and with her people. She could only hope that someone would tell her brother that she was chosen, that she was okay and loved him. Mabel doubted anyone would tell him, but she still wished for it, and held on to that hope.

"You're the first one who hasn't cried." The woman muttered as she brushed out Mabel's hair, which was long and silky now from all the washing. Mabel stared at herself in the mirror. It was so strange to see herself clean with no dirt staining her face. "Maybe he'll keep you longer."

Mabel doubted it. She noticed how everything was gold though. The walls were gold, the clothes she was wearing, the jewels added to her hair. Mabel could almost believe that she was living in luxury. That maybe she would last longer than the other slaves. Yet he had done this to countless others before her.

The woman ushered her out of her seat and towards the door, and then down the hall. Mabel hesitated by the large, ornately decorated door, the door leading to the pharaoh's room. Mabel stared at the triangle in the middle of it, before raising her hand and slowly knocking on it.

There was no welcoming voice, as the doors slipped open with no noise. Mabel hesitantly slipped inside, looking around for the man she was meant to be answering too. It took her a moment to see him, but when she finally spotted him, she couldn't look away from the dark skin that clashed so perfectly with the marble he was laying against. The pharaoh slowly rose when she came in, gesturing her forward.

"There's my newest pet." He cooed at her, and she stood just where he could touch her, but he seemed to just want to admire her. Mabel could feel his eyes traveling over her.

"I knew there was a gorgeous girl underneath all of that dirt."

He brought his hand underneath her chin, tilting her gaze up once more. He seemed surprised there were no tears on her face, but brushed it off so quickly that Mabel wondered if she imagined it. She didn't dare brush his hands away from her, but her body language revealed that she just wanted away from him.

"No tears either, you're doing so well." He finally let go of her chin to just cup her cheeks, feeling her shake underneath him. "Now, just relax. Don't want me to get upset. Are you not happy with everything I've done for you so far?"

She knew the answer should be yes, that she was very happy with him and all the kindness he had shown. Mabel knew he could keep her chained in the basement and never see the real light of day again. Yet that didn't stop her from wanting nothing to do with him.

"Yes, I'm very happy, your highness." Mabel whispered, as though loud noises would cause him to get angry with her. Mabel stared up at him, though her gaze was focused on his chin and not anywhere near his eyes.

"Good girl." He mumbled, and she shuddered for a moment.

Mabel hesitantly shifted in place, biting her lip gently. The pharaoh's fingers went to stop her from doing that, freeing her lips from being torn apart by her teeth. Everything about him seemed fake, a mask, and she didn't know what was real. She didn't want to ruin things when they were just getting started. She wanted that last year to live.

"Master." Mabel whispered, and he looked delighted by the word. She hadn't spoken for a while, and her voice cracked from lack of use. "I know that I cannot leave you, and I don't want to, but I was wondering if I could send a message to my brother so he knows that I'm okay."

She thought it was simple enough, and he seemed to believe her lie about wanting to stay. She hesitantly reached out, placing her own hand over one of the ones cupping her cheek.

Yet at her touch, his grip tightened, hard enough to be bruising and dig into her flesh. Mabel whimpered, but didn't try to pull away from his touch. Yet he seemed to pause, just staring down at her as she struggled with the instinct to pull away.

"Have I not done enough? You're trying to leave me already." He clicked his tongue like he was disappointed in her. Mabel would have shook her head if he didn't have such a tight grip on it.

"No, Master, that's not what I meant." Mabel started, quickly realizing she didn't want to give the pharaoh a direct line of access to her brother. "I'm sorry, it was a silly request. I don't know what I was thinking."

He nodded, and she breathed a sigh of relief when he let go of her face. Mabel rubbed her cheeks to get rid of the pain in them, stretching in place as he moved further into the room.

"Come here, pet. Lay with me."

He lounged on a bed that was softer than anything she had ever felt before, and Mabel hesitantly crawled into it and laid near him on the bed. She felt his arms travel around her waist, holding her in place. It wasn't as though she would have tried to get away.

When his lips traveled along her jaw, she didn't pull away, and when day faded into dark she still didn't pull away, knowing that personal slaves must satisfy their masters in every way. Even if she didn't want to.


	2. Seth

Seth: God of chaos and change

Chapter Two: Seth

* * *

She woke as she always did, when the sun was rising just over the horizon. Normally she'd be getting up to make breakfast, to get her brother and uncles out of bed as well. They'd just have to find a way to do that on their own now that Mabel wasn't there anymore. She stared out of the window from the pharaoh's bedroom, looking out at the city just starting to wake. Well, the part of the city that did most of the labor. Slaves and the slave drivers were normally the only ones who woke up this early.

He was still sleeping, the pharaoh. Mabel eventually turned her gaze from the window to stare down at him, brushing some of his golden hair away from his brow. They hadn't done anything more than kiss, and she supposed it was because he didn't want to break her right away. Mabel watched silently as he shifted in his sleep, inching just a bit closer to her. He had seemed so starved for attention, and he had told her why. Apparently she was the only one allowed to touch him, and even that was in private.

"No one else is going to care about a slave touching the pharaoh." He had whispered, simply content with exploring her skin and memorizing the feel of it against his hands. His own hands were soft, having not had a day of labor in his life, but her own were rough and calloused from working in the fields.

She had hardly spoken that night besides a whispered word or two, when he asked her if he made her uncomfortable. Mabel didn't know why it seemed important, but it did, and she gave him an honest answer.

"Yes." Mabel whispered when he waited for an answer. When he arched a brow and waited for her to continue, she flushed with shame. "Only in the way that I don't want to make you upset with me."

He had actually laughed at that, and Mabel remembered blushing more. The pharaoh didn't seem to mind, and bent down to kiss him again. His dark skin seemed to melt into the night itself, and Mabel had melted into his touches.

The morning light shined against his hair, and Mabel couldn't bring herself to look away from him now that she was staring at him. He really was a gorgeous sight, and Mabel brushed her fingers over his high cheekbones, and then his slightly pointed nose. Her own button nose crinkled as she touched it, as though trying to compare.

He worried her, more than the guards worried her. Mabel knew what to expect from the guards, when they looked at her with a certain hunger in their eyes that she couldn't ignore. Mabel had managed to avoid the guards most of her life, and the pharaoh's arrival right then was a blessing and a curse. She didn't know if she would rather have been taken by the guard or by the pharaoh.

Yet, this moment was kind, and he wasn't trying to hurt her. He hadn't tried to hurt her. Mabel had a feeling that she wouldn't hurt her unless she did something to displease him. If she ever wanted to see her brother once more, she knew she could never let that happen.

He still had one arm wrapped around her waist, and Mabel took that as an excuse to not get up. She didn't know if she was expected to get up, but she didn't want to pull away when she might get in trouble for that. She took the chance, or at least what seemed like the lesser of two evils, and buried herself against his chest, as though his arms would be the ones to protect her and hadn't caused so much destruction.

* * *

He woke in the late morning, when the sun was already starting to climb high and the people of his kingdom were already moving. Surprisingly, his newest slave was still in his arms, feigning sleep and obviously awake. He reached down, threading a hand through the silky locks before he yanked her head back and made her look at him.

She stared at him with wide, unblinking eyes as he made her look at him, and then he let go just as suddenly as he gripped her hair. Mabel sighed in relief.

"Pet, next time I expect you to get up and have breakfast waiting for me." He spoke in the same soft tone that he spoke in last night, and while it had made her relax last night, now it just made her tense and want to get away from him.

"Yes, of course, I'm sorry." She whispered. "I'll get that for you right now, your highness."

Mabel rolled and rushed out of bed, looking down at her bare feet as she raced from the room. The pharaoh didn't try to stop her, rolling onto his back as the sunlight poured through the window and hearing the sounds of his kingdom already awake.

Mabel rushed from the room, wearing just the outfit she had been wearing since yesterday. It didn't make that much of a difference to her, since she was just a slave, but some of the nicer people she passed in the halls looked down on her. Though that could have just been because she was a slave.

Entering the kitchen was like entering home, the hustle and bustle of her people roaming around her. She stuck to the sides of the kitchen so she wouldn't get in the way of people who knew what they were doing. She didn't know what she was meant to do here, but it wasn't long before someone noticed the newest slave wearing the nicest garbs.

"You, girl!" The whole kitchen seemed to stop for a second as everyone glanced at Mabel. She looked over at the man who called her, noticing she was the only one with bare feet in the kitchen.

"You're new, yeah? We've been wondering when you were coming down." The man waved a short wooden spoon in her face, as though lecturing her. "What's your name."

"Mabel." She answered immediately, and before she could blink there was a tray pressed into her hands loaded down with food.

"Mabel, alright when you're all done bringing that up, come back down and get something for yourself." The cook said, and Mabel nodded in relief before she turned on her heel and started back up to the pharaoh's room.

"You know that's mean. Pharaoh only lets them eat with permission and you know it." The other cook said, and the head cook turned back to his original task.

"Nah, I think she's different. Comes down late but not a mark on her. That's new." The cook started stirring the pot of soup he had been making. Luckily it hadn't burned while he was occupied.

* * *

The tray was easily balanced between her hip and her hand, letting her carry it easily up the countless stairs that were in the palace. The place seemed like a maze and she was always trying to figure out one hallway from another, even though they all looked the same. She ended up having to ask for help a couple of times, and finally a guard took enough pity on her to show her the way.

"Thank you!" She chirped to him when she was shown the door, and actually got a small smile in return. Mabel had never been given a smile from an Egyptian that was genuine and not laced with bad intentions.

The pharaoh was still laying in bed, lounging in the light of the day and the sounds of his kingdom. Mabel slowly walked in, wondering what her place was in the room. Was she to stay out of sight? Feed him? Mabel stood awkwardly, looking down at the pharaoh.

He was lying on his stomach, giving her a good sight of his unscathed back. She had only seen such a thing in children, even her own back was scarred. Yet he was unblemished, a small testament to the luxurious life he must have led. As though the palace didn't say that enough.

"Enjoying the view?" He seemed to snap, and Mabel flushed and took a step back. His whole body was relaxed as though enjoying her gaze, but his voice suggested differently.

"Sorry, I have just never seen an unmarked back like yours." Mabel ended up whispering, as though excuses would do her good. He looked at her curiously, but then nodded to accept that answer.

"Did you bring breakfast, finally?" The pharaoh sat up, and Mabel nodded and brought the tray to show off. It was a wide variety of fruits and meats, which he had the option to chose from. Bill didn't even glance at them, but just stared at her.

"Are you hungry?" He had picked up what looked like an apple, rolling it between his hands. Mabel hesitated before she ended up nodding. She was a slave, she was always hungry.

He gestured her closer, and Mabel did so, and after a long moment of hesitation knelt at his feet like she had seen other personal slaves do. He waited a moment before he let her have a small amount of fruit, and started eating himself.

She could hear him eating, but focused herself on eating what had been given to her. It was about the same amount she would have been given during a week for working. Mabel had almost starved to death a couple of times in her life, but she had no arguments about that. Maybe for once she would actually gain something like a healthy weight.

"Pet." He started, and that's how she knew he was talking to her. She didn't care about anything like that anymore, and he could call her anything and she wouldn't care. "I expect you to be up and awake with breakfast when I rise. You will answer to no one except me, and no one will touch you except me. Do you have any questions?"

Mabel almost choked on the food she had been given as he talked, mostly out of surprise rather than fear. He was still talking, and at the end she shook her head to show she didn't have any questions. Well, except for one, but not about the things he said.

"Your highness, I was wondering." Mabel started, though she spoke cautiously. "If I could go and send a message to my brother that I'm okay. I don't want anything else other than to let him know I'm okay."

She didn't want to say well taken care of, since she had no idea if that was true yet. He could still kill her, he could beat her within an inch of her life. She would have protested, but in the end no one really cares about a slave.

"No." He said immediately, not even considering. Mabel's face fell, but she hid it, going back to trying to eat silently.

Though he laced a hand through her hair, giving it a couple small pets as though she was an animal. Which to her, she supposed she was.

"Maybe if you behave, I might let you."

Mabel smiled down in her food, offering a small thank you. One day, she would get to see him again, hopefully.


	3. Wadjet

It's been a year don't judge me. Dedicated to that one anon speed reader who read all my mabill works and left reviews, I love you.

Wadjet: Goddess of protection.

* * *

It was a strange thing, to have people be frightened of her. Bill spent a lot of his time in meetings, with people Mabel didn't care about or even want to know about, with her sitting at his feet as a prize. She knew she was there to show off, something pretty to be stared at as boring people talked about boring things. It didn't matter that she was just a slave, she was a well trained slave that showed her Master knew just what he was doing, training her well.

"Pharaoh, the rest of the country is worried about its relations to…" Mabel stopped paying attention. The words droned on and on about nothing, countries she had never heard of. If she didn't know any better, she would have thought that they were making it all up, talking in code to evade the gossip of a slave. Yet Mabel didn't talk to anyone anymore, and it held no worth to her.

"Leave it for them to decide, if it's such a huge deal to them, they can come and see me themselves about it." Bill waved a hand dismissively, Mabel's gaze traveled up to follow it, but her eyes fell before he could meet her gaze.

"I'm not sure that's a great idea, your greatness, you see-"

"No, I do not see." Bill cut him off. "I won't hear any more of this. I am the morning and the evening star, if they won't come and see me, then they're not worth the time. Move on."

The advisors flinched slightly at the tone, but Mabel only blinked. Glancing up, everyone avoided eye contact with the pharaoh. She glanced up at Bill, his golden eyes meeting her own for only a moment, his gaze holding something she couldn't identify.

"You dare meet my gaze, slave?" He wasn't loud, but his voice was dark, a cold thing that made a shudder go down her spine.

"I'm sorry." Mabel whispered. Everyone was staring at them, and Mabel barely realized she was still staring into his eyes. With a slight blush she stared down at the floor once more.

"Your highness, it doesn't matter, let's discuss other matters, shall we?" Someone spoke up, taking Bill's attention away for just long enough for Mabel to hang her head in shame and silently asked for forgiveness. He would punish her later.

"What is more important than what I'm doing now?" Bill sighed and leaned his head on his hand. "Still, get on with it."

Bill's hand traveled into her hair, surprisingly gentle as it led her to lean against his knee. He was always gentle when it was in these meetings, almost like believed that being rough would cause her to pull away. She leaned her head against his knee willingly, sighing at the warmth that radiated from his skin.

"We simply must discuss your pyramid. Many people are starting to talk about how you haven't been issuing any proclamations for it's construction. All the great pharaoh's have had their own." The man spoke carefully. Bill had already shown his distaste for the meeting, he didn't want to make Bill anymore upset. "Your father stated-"

"I don't wish to hear it." Bill raised a hand. "This is something that I will think on and let you know. How are the slaves doing on the latest project, the newest temple of Ra?"

"Oh, very well sire." Another man, Mabel almost laughed at how short and fat he was, spoke. "They've already started on the base and it should be finished soon. We have them working day and night."

Mabel hated this part of the meeting. She hated hearing about her brethren and sisters being forced into such labor. None of these men had any idea of the tasks they had forced upon human beings, of the pain they caused so easily. She didn't want to hear any more. Turning her head slightly, she buried her face against Bill's knee, ever so gently leaning into the touches he offered.

Bill glanced down at her as she shifted, ready to tighten his grip and prevent her from pulling away, but all she did was get closer to him, seeming intent on burying herself closer. He could feel the warm breath of her against his shin, and the way her eyes squeezed shut.

"We will talk about it later." Bill decided. Mabel's shoulder's slumped in relief, Bill pretended not to notice. "This meeting is over with. I have better things to be doing right now."

Everyone bowed, with the exception of Mabel who was still kneeling at Bill's feet. He tugged gently at her hair to get her attention, but Mabel didn't raise her gaze until every advisor left the room and they were alone.

"You're the only one who dares to meet my gaze." Bill murmured. Mabel rose to her feet when prompted, slightly chewing on her lip. Bill's hands cupped her cheeks, preventing her from even doing that.

"I'm sorry, I forgot my place." Looking down, she could see the difference in her skin color compared to his own. He was so dark, and Mabel had lost so much color being in the palace. The sun had once blessed her skin with a tan, she was quickly losing that color though.

"Some very important people are coming soon." Bill was speaking but Mabel wasn't listening, her thoughts now absorbed in the silk covering her skin. She would never wear anything finer than this, and it made her sad. She missed the harsh, scratchy cloth she had worn with her family. "You will be on your best behavior, do you understand me? I won't let another transgression like that pass once more."  
"Why did you let it happen just now?" Mabel asked before she could stop himself. Her gaze rose to meet his own, golden eyes trying to stare right into her soul. She had never met anyone with such golden eyes before, and wondered for only a second if he had them because he was pharaoh.

"Don't question me, slave." Bill's grip tightened on her until she whimpered, trying to pull away. "I've done so much for you, why are you still so ungrateful?"

"Oh yes, tearing me away from my family, refusing to let me tell any of them I'm okay, nothing more than a prize on the shelf, such a great life." It was as though someone had broken the barrier of her tongue, and she couldn't hold in her words. "You haven't done anything for me."

"I saved you from the labor outside, I saved you from the rest of your life being so worthless, is that not worth anything to you?" Bill roared, tossing her aside. Mabel landed with a painful cry on her side, hip and elbow aching from landing so hard. "Why are you so ungrateful?"

"There's nothing to be grateful for!" Mabel shouted back. Some little voice in her head screamed that she was yelling at the pharaoh, she should stop right now, but the words were still coming. "You give my people so little in life, we are meant to work and work until our bodies give out and we're sealed inside the walls of pyramids we build just for you, and in return all we are ever promised is that we can still live and love and have our families nearby, that we can still practice our faith and live whatever free time we have left in peace. And you took that away from me. I will never find love, I will never have my own family, and I won't ever see what little family I have left."

Her tears dripped onto the marble and hardly stained the floor. Guards burst in almost as soon as her words finished, hanging in the air thickly. They glanced between the pharaoh and his slave, not sure if they should get closer and possibly enact the wrath upon themselves.

"The rack, sire?" Someone spoke up, it was impossible to tell who. Mabel was hauled to her feet, but she refused to look down anymore, staring up into Bill's eyes and meeting his gaze. If he was going to hurt her, he was going to look at her while he did it.

"Yes, I think that's the perfect punishment for such a disobedient slave." He nodded, and the hold on Mabel tightened. "Make sure to do it outside, for everyone to see."

Not that they would care to see more marks added to a slave's back. When they attempted to drag her away, Mabel shook of their touch, walking proudly by herself, as though she was a free person.

* * *

The sun was setting over the horizon, falling over his father's pyramids and making the shadows fall over the castle. That's the way his father had designed his pyramid, so that the last light of the day would fall upon his dead body and not on his kingdom. Bill couldn't remember the last time he saw the sunset, or anything outside his pyramid.

She still hadn't come back. Bill sighed through his nose but refused to move from his place near the window. He should have given the guards more of a limit, he should have told them when to have her back. He should have just enacted her punishment himself. Instead, he was left with worry and nerves chewing at his insides, trying to tear him apart.

"I am not worried." Bill muttered. He glanced back at the entrance of his room, waiting for the doors to open. She would be up any moment with dinner, and sit at his feet as he ate. He would have her sing for him tonight, she had a lovely voice.

Bill shook his head to clear himself of his thoughts. Arms crossed with determination, he looked outside at the stars that were forming, each one it's one tale. One day he would be among those stars, staring down at his kingdom as it moved on without him. For now, he was only the evening star, chosen by the gods themselves.

Bill leaned his head against the edge of the window, glancing down below. Everyone below them was finishing their day, preparing to sleep and begin the process once more tomorrow. If he listened closely, Bill could hear the whispers of their words on the breeze, he could hear the stories told to children to put them to sleep.

"Guard." Bill called when the night grew old, and Mabel still hadn't returned to his side. He was simply wishing for her back, not actually concerned for her. "Where is my slave?"

The man rushed in, bowing lowly to the pharaoh. Bill didn't glance at him. "She's at the rack, sire."

"Still? Is she still alive?" Concern leaked into his voice, and Bill cleared his throat to be rid of it. The guard nodded frantically, letting out a relieved sigh that he wouldn't have to be the bearer of bad news.

"We stopped at the usual, one hundred lashes, normally slaves are left overnight on the rack so everyone who tries to escape will see what could happen to them." The guard spoke rapidly. "Is it your wish to have her be brought here?"

"Yes." Bill snapped. The guard flinched. "Bring her here right now."

He turned back to the window, and the guard rushed from the room before anything else could happen, lest the pharaoh lose his kind streak. Bill turned back to the window, looking down silently at the people below, but unable to make out nothing more than small bodies moving about.

The door slammed open, and Bill turned to see Mabel dropped unceremoniously on the ground before the guards stepped out of the roo. Bill slowly walked forward, barely able to see her shallow breathing, and the blood still seeping from places on her back. She was as pale as the sands of the desert at night, lips standing out against her skin in an unhealthy pallor. With care, he knelt at her side, placing his hand on her cheek. She didn't move, but her breathing did get a bit more labored, coming out in a wheeze.

"Have the servants run a warm bath for me." Bill called. Someone was always there to hear, and soon he could hear the water being gathered. "And get me some water."

One hundred lashes seemed excessive. Bill couldn't understand why, he had seen such things before, he had given lashes himself to his past slaves when they disobeyed. He had never seen such aftermath as this though. He didn't want to be rid of Mabel's presence just yet.

"Come here, pet." Even though she couldn't hear him, he still spoke, lifting her up with ease and placing her into the bath. The water was a bit cold against his skin, and Mabel let out another small, pained gasp as he lowered her into it.

Her eyes peeked open slightly, staring at him blindly, unable to focus on him. Bill ran a damp piece of cloth against her face, washing away dirt and dried tears. Mabel murmured something, but Bill couldn't make it out, not that he was trying. He was too busy trying to get her to stop moving away from him.

"Stay." His voice was soft, and her skin was hot, as though the sun was trying to emit its rays from her. She stared up at Bill with large brown eyes, not believing what she was seeing there.

Her mouth opened, but the only sound that came out of her mouth was a small groan, as Bill dragged the damp rag up and down the marks on her back. They were deeper than they should be, deeper than he was used to seeing.

She leaned against his touch, her skin burning hotter with every passing minute. When she was all cleaned up, he ordered servants to bandage her back and place her on his bed. He quickly had more servants change him out of his wet clothes, and waited for them to bring Mabel in.

They placed her down carefully, Mabel's hands shaking slightly as she instinctively curled up as small as she could, with her back injured. Bill gently stroked her hair, bringing a blanket over her shoulders to help her gain more rest.

"You're more trouble than I thought you'd be." Bill murmured. She leaned into his touch, eyes opening to slits. Bill met her gaze easily, but as quickly as she met his gaze, she looked down.

"Pet." No response. Bill let out an irritated sigh. "Mabel." She glanced up this time. "You can look at me. Be the only one who looks at me without fear."

She swallowed thickly, Bill could hear her throat click. When she opened her mouth to speak, Bill leaned down, pressing his lips against her own and silencing her with a kiss. When he pulled back from her heated lips, she was staring at him with confusion, and unfortunately a little fear.

"Sleep, Mabel, or by the power of Ra I will make sure you do." Bill murmured. She didn't seem to hear him. "Sleep."

Whether or not she was really listening to him or not didn't matter, she moved slightly closer to him and closed her eyes, falling asleep with a sigh. Bill relished in the feeling of a warm, welcoming body next to him, and for the first time wondered just how welcome he truly was at Mabel's side.


End file.
